Car-coupling.



No. 702,963; Patented nine 24, 1902,

W. S. JONES & E. W. WEBB.

GAR COUPLING.

(Application filed Se t. 16 1901. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 702,963. Patented June 24. I902. W. S. JONES & E. W. WEBB.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application filed Sept. 16. 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Model.)

llll lllili No. 702,963. Patented June 24, I902.

W. S. JONES & E. W. WEBB GAB COUPLING.

(Application filed Sept. 16, 1901.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Q I g R iZ wwazear Q g jamfwvz' UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIS S. JONES AND EDIVIN WV. I/VEBB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SEECIZFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,963, dated June 24, 1902.

Application filed September 16, 1901. Serial No. 75,594. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, IVILLIs S. JONES and EDWIN W. \VEBB,citizens of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, Stateof Illinois, have inventedacertain new and usefullmprovementin Oar-Couplers; and we declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates generally to car-couplers of the Master Oar-Builders type,and more particularly to that class of such couplers in which a vertically-sliding pin locks the knuckle in its closed position.

In car-couplers of the type referred to the usual gravity locking-pin will creep or gradually work upwardly out of its proper position in the path of the tailpiece of the knuckle unless means are provided to prevent such creeping. It is therefore desirable to provide a lock for the locking-pin which will prevent the pin from creeping, but which will notinterfere with the removal of the pin from the path of the tailpiece of the knuckle to permit the latter to open.

An object of our invention is to provide a car-coupler of the class referred to with a locking device which will retain the lockingpin either in its locked or its unlocked position.

A further object of our invention is to provide a lock for the locking-pin of a Master Car-Builders coupler which will automatically engage and lock the locking-pin when the latter drops into its locking position and which when the pin is elevated will be automatically removed from its locking engagement with the pin and moved into position to support the pin.

A still further object of our invention is to provide, in a car-coupler of the class mentioned, a two-part locking-pin the upper part of which may be slightly raised before the lower part is raised and a pivotally-supported dog adapted to swing by gravity into a locking engagement with the lower part of the pin and to be swung out of such locking engagement during the initial movement of the upper part of the pin and then permitted to swing under the lower or looking part of the pin and hold the same in its raised or unlocked position.

Our invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in Which- Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a coupler-head, taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 3, but showing the locking-pin in its unlocked position; Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the locking-pin supported upon the tailpiece of a knuckle; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section through the coupler-head, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing the pin in its locking position; Fig. 4, an elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the locking-pin and gravity-dog removed from the coupler-head; Fig. 5, a View similar to Fig. 4, showing the gravity-dog swung out of engagement with the locking portion of the pin; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the lower or looking portion of the pin; Fig. 7, an elevational view of the upper or lifting portion of the pin, part thereof being shown in vertical section; Fig. 8, a cross-sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and Fig. 9 a cross-section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Reference character A indicates the coupler-head, which is provided with projections between which the knuckle B is pivoted to swing horizontally.

B indicates the tailpiece of the knuckle, which extends within the coupler-head and when the knuckle is closed engages the interior side wall of the coupler-head, as indicated in Fig. 1. The tailpiece of the knuckle may be provided with a hook B which engages a vertical rib A projectingfrom the side of the coupler-head. The tailpiece of the knuckle is retained in the position indicated in Fig. 1 by means of a locking-pin D, which is permitted to drop into the position indicated in Fig. 3, at which time it is located in the path of the tailpiece and prevents the latter from swinging outwardly when the IOC knuckle is subjected to a pulling strain. Ribs or stops A project upwardly from the lower wall of the coupler-head and serve to prevent the displacement of the locking-pin when it is subjected to a strain from the engagement of the tailpiece therewith. A lug A projects upwardly from the lower wall of the coupler-head adjacent to ribs A and serves to support the locking-pin when the latter is in its locking position. The under surf-ace of the locking-pin may be provided with a recess D within which the lug A is received. The lower portion D of the pin is provided with a reduced portion (Z at the upper end thereof and with laterally-extending lugs d. A shoulder 61 is formed at one side of the reduced extension (Z and unites the same with the top of the portion D.

The locking-pin D is provided with a lifting portion 0, to which is connected any suitable means for lifting the locking-pinas, for instance, by a clevis C pivotally secured to a lug 0, formed on the top of the lifting porlion 0. Slots 0? are formed through the opposite side walls, near the bottom thereof, of the lifting portion 0, which is preferably made hollow, as shown in Fig. 7. A vertical groove 0 is formed on the inner wall of the lifting portion of the pin and extends from the bottom thereof to a central partition 0 therein. Opposite the groove 0 is a vertical groove 0 which communicates with a transverse groove c leading from one side of the upper end of the groove 0 and extending into one of the slots 0 a short distance above its bottom, as clearly indicated in Fig. '7. A groove 0 similar to groove 0 and located in the same transverse plane, is provided between the guide 0 and the other slot 0 as indicated in Fig. 9. The lower or locking portion D of the pin is secured to the upper or lifting portion C through the engagement of the opposite lugs (Z on the reduced upper end of the locking portion with the opposite slot 0 formed through the walls in the lifting portion G. This engagement is effected by first inserting the locking portion D in the coupler-head before the knuckle has been pivoted within the coupler-head and then inserting the upper end of the lifting portion 0 through the opening provided therefor in the upper wall of the coupler-head in such a position with relation to the locking portion that the grooves c and c' will pass over the lugs (1 the distance between the walls of the slots 0 and 0 being slightly greater than the width of the locking portion D at the point where the lugs 61 project. WVhen the lifting portion 0 has passed over the lugs d a vertical distance equal to the height of the grooves 0 the lifting portion C is given a quarter-turn, thehorizontal grooves o and c passing around the opposite lugs (Z until the latter enter the opposite slots 0 through the walls of the lifting portion 0. The lugs (Z then restin seats 0 formed at the lower ends of the slots 0 The rib or shoulder d on the locking portion D engages the grooves c and is guided there by when the upper and lower portions of the locking-pin are moved together the distance permitted by the slots 0 surrounding the lugs (1 as indicated in Figs. 2, at, and 5. The flat surface (Z also engages a fiat interior surface within the lifting portion 0, formed at the rear of a recess 0. The upper portion 0 is provided with the recess 0 in its outersurface at a point opposite the interior guide 0 the recess 0' being provided with a downwardly-extend-ing inclined wall, as shown in Fig. 7. The lower portion D of the lockingpin is provided with two communicating recesses or sockets d and (1 located opposite and lower than the shoulder (1 as clearly shown in Figs. 4: and 5.

A pendulum gravity-dog E is pivotally sup ported within the coupler-head by means of a pivotal pin e passing through an aperture in the upper end of the dog. A projection 6' extends from the pendulum-dog at a point a short distance below its pivot, while another projection 6 extends in the same direction as the projection e and is located at the lower end of the pendulum-dog. .The pendulumdog E is mounted within the coupler-head at a point on the opposite side of the lockingpin from the tailpiece of the knuckle when the latter is closed, so that when the tailpiece swings outwardly the dog may be engaged and swung thereby, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.

The operation of our improved car-coupler is as follows: The two portions of the lockingpin are united in the manner above described and the pendulum-dog is pivotally mounted within the coupler-head previous to the location of the knuckle in its operative position with respect to the coupler-head. WVhen the knuckle B is swung into its closed position, the tailpiece B occupies the position shown in Fig. 1, while the locking-pin occupies the position shown in Fig. 3that is, it rests upon the lower wall of the coupler-head, the rib A entering the groove D in the under surface of the locking portion of the pin. The locking portion of the pin closely engages the ribs or flanges A and is thereby held in engagement with the tailpiece of the knuckle and prevented from displacement when the latter is subjected to a pulling strain. The locking portion D of the pin is prevented from rising upwardly or creeping when it is subjected to the vibration and intermittent strain incident to the motion of the train by means of the engagement of the projection e of the gravity-dog with the slot d formed in the surface of the locking portion D adjacent to the pendulum-dog. The upper projection e on the pendulum-dog is received within the recess a, formed in the adjacent surface of the lifting portion 0 of the pin. The parts are indicated in Fig. -l in the positions which they assume when the knuckle is locked in its closed position and the locking-pin locked to prevent creeping. When it is desired to IXO permit the knuckle to swing into its open position, the uncoupling means is actuated, which through its engagement with the clevis C and the lug O lifts the locking-pin from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1. The slots 0 which surround the lugs (1 permit an upward movement of the lifting portion 0 before the locking portion D is raised, and during such initial movement of the lifting portion the gravity-dog E is swung from the position indicated in Fig. 4 to that indicated in Fig. 5 through the engagement of the slot 0 with the projection e on the dog E. When the lower ends of the slot 0 are lifted into engagement with the lugs (1 the pendulum-dog has been swung as above described and the projection e thereon removed out of engagement with the recess d in the locking portion D, thereby permitting the locking portion D to be lifted with the upper portion 0 through the engagement be tween lugs 01 and slots 0 into the position indicated in Fig. 1. When the lower end of the locking portion D is raised above the projection e on the dog, the latter swings by gravity, as indicated in Fig. 1, at which time the projection 6 passes under the lockin g portion D, engaging the groove D therein and holding the locking-pin in the elevated position. (ShoWninFig. 1.) The upperprojection e is received within the recess cl in the looking portion D when the pin is elevated, as indicated in Fig. 1. Upon the release of the uncoupling means the lifting portion 0 drops the distance permitted by the slots c -that is, until the upper ends of the slots 0 rest upon the lugs (Z -as indicated in Fig. 2. The parts are then in position for the knuckle to be swung into its open position, and when this is done the tailpiece B engages the projection 6 which extends into the path of the tailpiece, as indicated in Fig. 1, and swings the pendulum-dog from beneath the locking portion D, the latter then falling upon the upper surface of the tailpiece of the knuckle, as shown in Fig. 2. The locking-pin therefore rests upon the upper surface of the tailpiece of'the knuckle while the latter is in its open position and until the tailpiece is removed from beneath the locking portion D of the pin when the knuckle is swung into its closed position. The pendulum-dog is held out of contact with the locking portion of the pin by means of the tailpiece of the knuckle, as indicated in Fig. 2, as long as the tailpiece of the knuckle is beneath the looking portion of the pin and when the tailpiece swings from beneath the locking portion of the pin, and the pendulum-dog is thereby permitted to fall by gravity against the side of the locking portion D and is prevented from passing beneath the lower end thereof, which immediately falls by gravity into its locking position and retains the knuckle in its closed position through its engagement with the tailpiece thereof, as above described.

From. the foregoing description of our invention it will be apparent that we have devised a locking-pin for a car-coupler of the Master Oar-Builders type which is retained in its locked position as well as in its unlocked position by the same means-namely, a pendulum-dog. It is also apparent that we have devised a two-part locking-pin for a carcoupler of the type referred to comprising a lower locking portion and an upper lifting portion which are engaged with each other by giving them relatively a quarter-turn, and when engaged with each other the lifting portion may be elevated a slight distance before the lower or looking portion is raised out of unlocking position, such initial movement of the lifting portion being utilized to disengage the locking device from the locking portion of the pin, thereby permitting the elevation of the locking-pin and the disengagement of the locking means therewith at the same operation.

While We have described more or less precisely the details of construction, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves thereto,-as we contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, a vertically-sliding pin adapted to lock the knuckle in its closed position, a locking device, pivotally mounted within the couplerhead and adapted to retain the locking-pin either in its locked or unlocked position, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, a vertically-sliding locking-pin adapted to lock the knuckle in its closed position, a pendu lum-dog pivotally mounted within the coup ler-head adapted to swing into engagement with and retain said locking-pin in its locked position and to swing under and support said locking-pin when the latter is elevated, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, a two-part vertically-sliding locking-pin the lower part of which is adapted to lock the knuckle in its closed position, a pendulumdog pivotally mounted within the couplerhead adapted to engage with and prevent the lower part of said locking-pin from creeping, a projection on said dog engaged by an inclined portion on the vertical wall of the upper part of said pin when the latter is elevated thereby swinging said dog out of engagement with the lower part of the pin, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, a lockingpin comprising locking and lifting portions, means connecting said portions so as to permit an initial movement of the latter independently of the former, a pendulumdog mounted within the coupler-head, a projection on said dog adapted to engage the locking portion of the pin when the latter is in its locking position, said dog having a second projection adapted to be engaged by the lifting portion of the pin during its initial movement and the first projection thereon disengaged from the locking portion of the pin, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, a locking-pin comprising locking and lifting portions the latter when lifted having a slight initial movement before lifting the locking portion, lugs projecting from a reduced upper end of said locking portion and engaging slots formed through the walls of the lifting portion, a pendulumdog mounted within the coupler-head, projections on said dog entering recesses in each portion of the pin when the latter is in its locking position,whereby the in itial movement of the lifting portion through the engagement of the recess therein with the projection on the dog swings the other projection on the dog out of engagement with the recess in the locking portion of the pin, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, a locking-pin comprising locking and lifting portions the latter when lifted having a slight initial movement before lifting the locking portion, lugs projecting from a reduced upper end of said locking portion and engaging slots formed through the walls of the lifting portion, a pendulum-dog mounted within the coupler-head, projections on said dog entering recesses in each portion of the pin when the latter is in its locking position and adapted to swing beneath the locking portion of the pin into the path of the tail of the knuckle when the pin is in its unlocking position, and means interposed between the lifting portion of the pin and said dog whereby the projection on the latter is swung out of engagement with the locking portion of the pin during the initial movement of the lifting portion and then permitted to swing by gravity beneath and support the locking portion until removed therefrom by the tailpiece of the knuckle when the latter is opened, substantially as described.

7. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head, of a knuckle pivoted therein, a two-part locking-pin comprising lifting and locking portions, connecting means between said portions permitting an initial movement of the lifting portion independent of the looking portion, said connecting means being engaged and disengaged by a relative rotation of said portions, and a locking device for the locking portion of the pin actuated by the initial movement of the lifting portion, substantially as described.

8. In a locking-pin for a Master Oar-Builders car-coupler, the combination with a lifting portion, of a locking portion, connecting means for uniting said portions comprising lugs and slots the latter having communicating grooves above their lower ends to permit the insertion of the lugs in the slots by a relative rotation of the portions of the pin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS S. JONES. EDWIN W. WEBB. Witnesses:

GEO. L. WVILKINSON, CLARA C. CUNNINGHAM. 

